Is your Columbia SC home covered from damage or loss from sinkholes?

With all the news recently about sinkholes swallowing up homes, cars, boats, and anything else that's sitting there when the earth opens up, we thought you might like to know.

Sinkholes Usually Develop Over Time

Sinkholes have been happening for thousands of years, say geologists. When sinkholes do develop quickly, they can be fatal.

In March this year, Florida resident Jeff Bush went missing after an apparent sinkhole opened in his bedroom in the middle of the night, sucking him and his bed deep into the earth. (After several days, search efforts for Bush were called off and he was presumed dead.)

Sinkholes like two others seen this year in Florida form when slightly acidic groundwater dissolves limestone or similar rock that lies beneath the soil creating a large void or cavities. When the overlying ceiling can no longer support the weight of the soil and whatever is on top of it, the earth collapses into the cavity.

Just because one sinkhole opens, does not necessarily mean another nearby is imminent.

Sinkhole insurance is optional in Florida and many other states, and many people have ditched it to save money.

If you opted out of sinkhole coverage, claims for things like cracks in the driveway or fractures in the walls will be denied.

However, every homeowner's policy covers something called "catastrophic ground cover collapse." That's when a sinkhole opens suddenly and severely damages your Columbia SC home.

The key is, a local authority must condemn the property. Claims are only paid when a home is unlivable. Every policyholder — even those who've said no to sinkhole coverage — have that assurance.

Why is the other sinkhole coverage optional?

Insurance companies say many smaller, not-so-newsworthy sinkhole claims are draining their coffers.

It seems to twisted logic: but if you're going to have a sinkhole and you want insurance to pay, you want it to be a whopper.

So, should insurance companies be doing more to prevent sinkholes from becoming catastrophic?

Consider this: when asked recently about how much an insurance company would pay to trim trees that lean precariously over a Columbia SC home (which is zero, by the way) the Insurance Information Institute said, point blank, a homeowner's insurance policy covers damage — not threat of damage.

So if a tree leans? It's not covered. If a tree falls? It's covered.

And it's the same with sinkholes. Does your house have cracks? The claim will be denied.

Was your house swallowed? Claim approved.

Click here to see some of the earth's most striking sinkholes.

Get more insurance information by clicking the Columbia SC Insurance link to your right under Columbia SC Real Estate Categories.

Do you have adequate Columbia SC home insurance? Are your home's contents insured? Are you absolutely certain? If you're under-insured, from a legal point of view, you may as well not be insured at all. Your insurer may simply scale back your claim by the amount you're under-insured, but they would be within their rights to reject the claim totally.

Many people under-estimate the value of their personal possessions. If you go through your home, room by room, and make a rough mental note of the contents, you may be very surprised at what you come up with. Don't forget to include portable electrical items, jewelry, designer clothes, paintings and even photograph frames. It's often the smaller items that are easily stolen in a "smash and grab" type of burglary and these can be the very items which you overlook in your valuation.

When working out the premium for your Columbia SC home insurance policy, your insurance company will use your postal code, the size of your home and the claims history of the area. Contents calculators are available online, which are useful in deciding the level of coverage you need.

Steps For Cutting Columbia SC Home Insurance Premiums

In addition to the normal alarm system, you might consider installing motion-activated lights at the entrances to your house. Not only are they a deterrent for the burglar but they're convenient for your own use too. A security cover inside a letterbox makes sure a thief can't gain entry by putting a hand or instrument through it to open the door. Fitting all outside doors with efficient key-operated deadbolt locks is a good idea.

Inside the house, valuables could be kept in a safe and security fittings could secure any precious works of art. It's a good idea to use some kind of marking or security code and record serial numbers, where this is relevant. Photographs of your valuables are useful too.

There's a wide range of Columbia SC home insurance policies available. With some insurers, it is normal for individual items valued at over $1,500 to be listed separately. These will be covered inside the home, but would need "personal property insurance" if they are to be insured away from home.

Some insurers offer discounts on homeowner's insurance if you cover both your home and your automobiles with the same company. Ask your insurance agent if such discounts are offered for your Columbia SC home insurance coverage.

Just remember, you need to insure the full value of your belongings to avoid the risk of a claim being reduced or rejected, while still getting the very best value for money. The easy way to do this is via an on-line insurance broker. They'll be able to search a wide range of insurers and come up with the right policy to suit your own particular needs.

For more Columbia SC Home Insurance tips and articles, click on the Columbia SC Home Insurance link under Columbia SC Real Estate Categories to your right.

You need to be aware of what any Columbia SC homeowners insurance policy is protecting before you sign for any particular policy or coverage.

Columbia SC homeowners insurance can be a complicated topic, so it is always important that you research policies thoroughly before buying coverage on the most expensive purchase of your life.